Creative Writing: Arriving in Paradise

From Pit to a Paradise

A new day has started again in London, it is already 1850 and my life hasn’t changed even for a bit, I am just growing up and doing more works. I learned how to live independently as a teen as mother and father died because of a disease in which I don’t know how or why, we lack in education, all I know is they are working very hard for us. I live in a place, like a sardine can, overcrowded, narrow, dirty, slippery, dark streets, we are not getting enough sunlight nor fresh air as the houses are built together side by side and in parallel. Houses don't have windows, furniture, and anything very much. People are not getting clean water for bath, no toilets and wastes go down the street, London in this century I say has a really poor hygiene, good thing I'm a girl with a not so bad immune system. I'm grateful for having a good boss, sometimes, "what a fortunate girl", they say. Though I have a slightly better life, I find ways of saving everything, one drop of water, crumbs of bread, time, etc.

It is sunset, a beautiful sky has appeared by people are not in their homes, children are not playing outside, we are all in factories, working. Sunset doesn't symbolise ending for us. I work as a maid, cleaning my boss' house, sewing, cooking, and they also send me to their factory twice a week. 

Moonlight shines, stars twinkling above, is not what you can see in London. Instead, a pitch dark sky, I heard someone call it pollution, I don't know. It's a cold windy night, a paper has appeared before me and hit my face. I went to a place where there's a little light, though I can't read what it says I still can see the picture, it has P-A-R-A-D-I-S-E, it looks amazing for me, a nice scenery picture, at the bottom it says 'ship', I can read that one, dawn morning, and $15. I knew these word because my boss taught me to come to work every day at dawn morning. I felt some kind of weird feeling inside me, I want to go to this place. I have a money for the ship but I decided to just go next year and save more money as I can. 

I always check the pier if there's a ship going to the place I saw on the poster, I asked them about the place and I learned that many people have already gone to New Zealand. 

It is 1851, London is still the same. I packed my things, just a few, I gave a farewell to my boss and let me go, she even gave me a gift, a beautiful dress. I'm a cabin passenger, I saved enough money to pay for it and even have some leftovers. I saw the steerage passengers and felt horrible, I get to eat nice meals such as steak, soups and milk, while they can only get some biscuits, preserved foods and crowded sleeping place. I got rid of this thought by reading my favourite book, a gift from my mother. Once, I talked to my friends in the steerage and caught a cold from them, luckily the ship has medicines. We have been in the sea for so long, it took 106 days before we arrived in New Zealand.

The day has finally come, a beautiful sea greeted us, I can see that the houses were distant, few people walking, children running along, peaceful, fresh air, and friendly local people. I decided to settle in the North Island. I became an assistant and cleaner in a meat shop with nice pay and fair treatment. No prejudice or exploitation is happening around. I live in a house with other 3 people to pay less for the rental, but at least I have my own room with walls, doors and windows. New Zealand is such a clean place compared back in London. They also have toilets, bathrooms and running water. After 5 years of working, I finally adapted to this new place completely. Then, a miracle has occurred, a programme offered me a scholarship to study. To support my other expenses, I also had to work on a farm, and as an assistant cook in a small eatery. 

1884, I graduated from the academy and got a better full-time job as a writer for Publishing Company Ltd. and as a supervisor.  After 5 years, I started my own business, a small unknown clothing boutique in the alley. My first year is stagnant, it started to progress after 2 years. Within these years, I had a teenage boy from an orphanage. My life has changed, getting old and living my life happily. I did not regret my choice of coming to this paradise.